I'm About To Lose My Mind...

You've Been Gone For So Long

Some Time Ago

"Big brother... Big brother where are you?" 

"Oh, poor thing. Your brother is resting. It seems he couldn't handle playtime today. What about you, monster? Do you think you can handle playing with me?" A cruel, cold, and twisted voice echoed in the stone room. The sound of footsteps drew terrified black and red eyes up from the spot on the floor to the source. 

A man wearing a bloodied labcoat that was probably once white, walked over. In his hands was a tray of various tools. Syringes, scalpels, and a pair of menacing pliers decorated the steel tray and the sickening grin on his face twisted even further seeing the ghoul before him shrink away against the wall. 

"Now, now, Yuji. Be a good boy like your brother, and perhaps I'll even let you rest for a minute today. Hm... Your chains are coming loose." A firm pale hand took hold of a handful of pale blond hair and pulled back hard. A cry of pain escaped the young man's throat, and tearful blue eyes stared intent with fear at his captor. 

"Tch, you were trying to break free again weren't you?" 

"Please... Just let me go... I'm begging you..." Yuji gasped, his breath trembling though he made no attempt to pull away. "I just want my brother..." 

"I'm sorry but Yamori is sleeping right now. You'll just have to keep me company until then." The captor said with a chuckle. His free hand placed the tray on a small table to the side of the chair Yuji was chained down to, then proceeded to pick up one of the many syringes lying atop it. 

"No.. Please..." 

"Now then..." The needle came to rest in the corner of Yuji's eye, a drop of the clear liquid within mixing with the tears welling in his eyes. "What's 1000 minus 7?" 

"Please... I want Yamori... Where's my brother!?" Yuji cried before feeling the needle pierce the thin membrane of his eye. "AAAAAH!!!!" 

"Answer my question you brat. What's 1000... Minus... 7?" 

"...993..." Yuji gasped in a broken, pained voice. His nails dug into the arms of the chair, and a strangled gasp left his throat. "986..." 

"Good. Let me hear you loud and clear. Wouldn't want you to loose count now, would we?" The captor said with a laugh removing the needle after a moment. Yuji's head hung low, the numbers leaving his lips in a uniform fashion. He was certain not to miss one. Not after the last time. 

"916..." 

"Good boy. Now, let's see how well I can get you to sing for me. Keep counting like a good little boy. Alright?" The pliers were now in his grasp, though the inside weren't meant for gripping like most normal tools. 

These were made to cut through flesh. 

All Yuji could feel in that instance was white hot agony, and the shredding in his throat as his screams echoed through the room and down the halls of the Chochlea Ghoul's Detention Center. Minutes faded into hours, and soon the sounds of screams faded into whimpers. 

"Ha... Ha... Well, you certainly have a lovely voice. Where are we in our countdown Yuji?"

"3... 335..." Yuji gasped, blood staining his pale skin and pooling beneath him. His thin form was trembling and he almost seemed to be in a pain induced stupor. "Big... brother..." 

"Tokage! We have a situation!" One of the guards had just upened the door and stepped in when a scream of terror was cut short. The man turned in a hurry, eyes wide as he saw what the commotion was. 

"Tokage... You should've quit while you had the chance..." 

The sound of a familiar deep voice drew Yuji's heavy gaze to the source, and a hunt of a smile played at his lips. 

"Big brother... You're... Okay..." Yuji panted, tears of blood mixing with the blood and sweat on his cheeks. 

"Shut up Yuji. Save your strength." Yamori growled, staggering forward towards Tokage. His eyes were wide with rage and hunger, and his grin near matched their captor's. "Tokage... You're gonna pay..." 

Yuji watched a moment longer, his body growing weak from fatigue. He heard shouting, saw what seemed like a clash, then everything went black. 

Present Day

"Yuji!" 

"Yes?" Yuji looked up from where he was standing, a leather bag in his hands. He was wearing a black and purple suit, and his hair was combed to the side. His light blue gaze met his brother's back. 

"Give me my toy." Yamori said with a grin over his shoulder. The younger Oomori tensed up a moment, his hands tightening around the handles of the bag.

"A-Are you sure? Brother--" 

"Yuji, this bastard needs to be taught a lesson." Yamori growled, narrowing his gaze. Not wanting to anger his brother further, Yuji was quick to fish through the bag. After a moment, he pulled out the flesh cutting pliers and held them out. Yamori grabbed them and turned to the ghoul cowering at his feet.

"I didn't know this was your territory! Please, I'll leave! I won't hunt here again!" The ghoul shrieked, his mouth covered in blood and his legs broken. 

"How can I guarantee that? People like you, you think you can just walk in and take what you want. Well. When we're done with our chat, you'll know for sure that you don't have the right to hunt around here again." Yamori growled taking the ghoul's left hand. 

"NO!! OH GOD!" The man at Yamori's mercy howled and shrieked for mercy, only to be  ignored when his finger was cut off completely. Yuji grimaced and looked away, trying not to acknowledge the scene unfolding in front of him. He hated when his brother got like this, but he also knew there was no stopping Yamori. 

"There, I think he's learned his lesson." Yamori said. It had been about twenty minutes since he'd started, which surprised Yuji. Whenever his brother wanted to 'play', usually it lasted hours, sometimes even days. He didn't dare look though. He'd seen the results of Yamori's work in the past and it always made him uneasy. 

"Hey." The feeling of a firm hand on his shoulder brought the young Oomori's gaze up to Yamori's. There was blood on his face, and suit, but it didn't seem to be his main concern. 

"I-I'm fine." Yuji lied, trying to force a small smile. The disapproving gleam in Yamori's eyes caused Yuji to tense up though. No matter how he tried, it was near impossible to lie to his brother.

"I'll have the boys clean this up. We're leaving." Yamori said, making it a point to keep his body between Yuji and the injured ghoul. Yuji looked at the pliers in Yamori's hand, the blood dripping from them, then to the ground. He felt Yamori's hand guide him away from the scene, but it still felt distant. 

"When was the last time you are?" 

"Hm?" Yuji paused in his thoughts before shrugging a bit. "I'm not sure but... I'm not hungry..." 

"Your eyes changed. Don't lie to me." Yamori said, cracking the knuckle of his forefinger with his thumb. "We're getting you food. Then we'll head home." 

"A-Alright." 

"What's bothering you?" Yamori asked.

"Bothering? I-I don't know what you mean big brother." Yuji said shifting the leather bag to his side whilst watching his feet with each step they took.

"You've been a bit quieter than usual. And you're spacing out. What's wrong?" 

"... I... It's her birthday tomorrow. I just... It's been on my mind since last night." Yuji replied looking up at Yamori. "I didn't mean to worry you." Yamori paused in his steps, a tense silence washing over him for a moment. 

"B-Big brother?"

"We'll visit her tomorrow." That was all he said before continuing forward. Yuji walked with him, wanting to say something, but instead he just nodded. 

It'd be nice to visit their mother again after so long.